päivänään

Päivänään is a Finnish word that functions as an adverb. It is formed from the noun "päivä" meaning "day" and the genitive suffix "-n" along with the possessive suffix "-ään". The literal translation would be something akin to "of its day" or "its own day".

In common usage, päivänään refers to a specific day, often the one that has just passed or is currently being experienced. It emphasizes the particularity of that day, suggesting it stands out or is significant in some way. For instance, one might say "En ole nähnyt häntä sitten päivänään," which translates to "I haven't seen him since that day." Here, "päivänään" points to a specific, memorable day in the past.

It can also be used to denote something happening on a particular day or within a day's time. While less common, context can sometimes imply a sense of "within that day" or "on that day." The word carries a slightly archaic or poetic feel, and its precise nuance is often determined by the surrounding sentence. It is not a frequently used word in modern everyday conversation but appears in literature and more formal contexts.